Unexpected Holiday
by avagrace2888
Summary: When C.C. plans to join the Sheffields and Niles on a cruise in Europe things don't go quite as expected. *Written for EspoirDio's NCC Christmas calendar! Taken from a one shot to a chapter story!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello fellow FF readers.. I know Christmas is over, but the holiday season isn't! Please enjoy this story and leave comments to fuel this writers inspiration! :)**

**Unexpected Holiday**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Holidays were approaching fast and there was no better time for Niles on this particular year. He walked briskly through the cold, sharp air, vents from underneath his feet created a swirly fog. New York streets were packed as he passed by store shops decorated with holly and garland. Even people in the busiest city in the world stopped to take part in the simple joys of Christmas. He normally spent them schlepping Maxwell and Fran to buy Christmas presents for the children, but this year they had decided to something different for a change. Sylvia, Morty, and Yetta had gone to Boca for Christmas which meant two things: Fran had a higher chance of spending her holiday depressed and moping around the mansion, and Niles wouldn't have to plan on cooking ten times more food for the family than usual.

Maxwell, sensing the nanny's forthcoming holiday depression, planned for the family and nanny to go on a winter Mediterranean cruise for ten days. They'd fly to England and stay one night with his mother, Elizabeth Sheffield, before leaving the next morning. This would give Niles the opportunity to help the family to their cruise destination, and then spend the Christmas and New Years with his family.

Maxwell invited C.C. to join them, to Niles appreciation.

Niles dashed from store to store looking for gifts for his parents, brother, and sister. He couldn't contain his excitement at seeing them in just a day. They would fly out of JFK at 10pm and arrive in England 8 hours later, just in time to start the evening roaming the country side on the back of his father's stud horse.

Niles turned down an aisle of silky smooth cashmere scarves, _"Should I get Babcock a gift?"_ He thought to himself. He ran his hand down an aqua blue scarf thinking about it against her skin. He immediately felt his ears become warm. He checked the price and dropped it at once. It was an expensive scarf, but Babcock's taste was indeed posh. He picked the frilly end of the scarf up and thumbed it through his fingers before heading to the cash register with it.

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><p>The entire group boarded the plane and started shuffling through the cramped airplane. Mr. Sheffield and Fran had mysteriously ended up next to each other in the front of first class. Niles checked his ticket again and saw his section was toward the back of the plane in coach. Before passing the barrier between first class and coach he spotted a blonde woman arguing with an apparently flustered flight attendant.<p>

"C.C. Babcock does _NOT _sit in _coach!_" Niles heard her say to the woman. He noticed C.C.'s knuckles were clenched tightly around her Prada bag, making them an angry white. Her red lipstick matched the bright red patches of anger on her cheeks and ears. Her bright golden hair that curved along her shoulders and down her back made her look much more angelic than she truly was. Niles glanced down at the very chic soft, aqua blue straight line slacks and blazer she had worn for the transatlantic flight. He looked at a man watching him as he eyed C.C.'s backside, and the man gave him a toothy grin. Niles burrowed his eyebrows in confusion and distaste. Focusing back to the situation at hand, Niles listened as C.C. threatened to unboard the flight.

Knowing it would anger her even more he patted a hand on her back and leaned over her shoulder to speak to the attendant, "Problems dear? Come along to your seat.." He smiled sympathetically at the stewardess before whispering "_Anger management problems!" , _behind his hand. C.C. turned around slowly with an evil glare upon her face.

"What the hell do you think you're doing budding your little butler nose in where it doesn't belong?"

He pushed her along to avoid blocking the aisle any more than they already were, "I don't see what the big issue is with sitting in a seat that is twenty yards away from where you want to sit to begin with! Don't be such a lush, Babcock, join the working crew for once!"

She sat in the seat next to Niles for the entire 8-hour flight while a large man on the other side of her had snored loudly and talked about his 6 children and 3 ex wives for three hours. Niles had politely listened while C.C. had kept a steady look of disdain through the whole one-sided conversation. Six hours in, a baby behind Niles had started crying. This was about the time C.C. started ordering a steady line of mini Svedka bottles from the flight attendant. As they arrived at Heathrow, C.C. was thoroughly sloshed. Niles held onto her elbow to steady her through the aisle of bustling, antsy passengers. Needless to say, when the family arrived at Elizabeth Sheffield's residence and received a locked door and no answer C.C. was about to bust.

"Why would Elizabeth just leave us to fend for ourselves if she knew we were coming, Maxwell?" She asked shrilly.

"Well, I didn't exactly talk to her.."

Now it was Fran's turn to be annoyed, "Whaa? Why would you let us come here without talking ta heh first? Where we s'posta go?"

Out of nowhere Niles chimed in from behind the group, "We can all go to my parents, they just live down the road. It might be a little cramped, but they have a lovely house.. it'll do; and I'm sure mum would be pleased to see you ."

Maxwell looked around at the group and decision crossed his face, "Okay crew, lets get back in the limo and head to the Brightmore's!"

"Oh joy." C.C. said apathetically.

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><p>An hour later, C.C.'s buzz had worn off, and as the tired crew walked into the house she felt an overcoming sense of warmth. Niles' mother had met them at the door with arms wide-open and swooped Niles into the house to his father. She had shouted back for all of them to come in and make themselves warm by the fire. "<em>Sure is cold as hell out here, but I think I'd rather die of frostbite than drown in all the warmth and love in here.."<em>

The house was sickeningly homey and not at all what she had pictured in her mind. She had figured that two servant retirees would be living in a small shack with boarded floors and cracked ceilings. The Brightmore home was two stories, had a large back porch, and wide spaces surrounding it with a barn and horses. C.C. thought to herself that if there wasn't Ma, Pa and the Brady bunch here she might actually enjoy herself.

Once had sufficiently fussed over Niles she came and stood in front of the tired, confused group of strangers. She recognized Maxwell and perhaps the tall blonde woman from pictures in the media and pictures that Niles had sent. He wrote home often, though not often enough for her liking, and she saw this C.C. creep up subtly in his letters between the lines. Niles would tell of a particularly good joke that he had played on her that week or of a trip that they had taken together with the family. He was good about including pictures, and she was in most of them.

"C.C., it is so nice to meet you.. I've heard a lot about you from my son."

C.C. looked strangely at the old woman in front of her before unsteadily answering her, "Oh really, I can't imagine what good he would have told you of me; he does like his pranks." She gave him a sideways glance.

Niles embarrassedly watched C.C. and his mother. He hadn't planned on the fact that his mother might tell C.C. that he had written about her in his letters home. Normally C.C. was a spitfire, but he could tell she was trying to remain demure for the elderly woman. His maman was also acting a bit peculiar. He sensed a mischievous glimmer in her eye.

The Sheffield family, nanny included, decided to go horseback riding in the snow for the day to help ease into the new time change. C.C. decided to stay back and look over contracts that really didn't call for her attention until well after the New Year. She figured she had nothing better to do, and slipped on her glasses to start working in her room upstairs. She had been working not ten minutes when she felt eyes on her. Looking up she found Mrs. Brightmore at the door.

"Mrs. Brightmore," C.C. said, not really knowing how to respond to her curious gaze.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, but I just was wondering if you would like to have tea with me downstairs. Niles and his father are in the parlor chatting about Manchester football and I can't help but doze at that kind of conversation. I haven't had a girl besides my daughter in the house in months.."

C.C. looked at her papers and realized she couldn't refuse the woman's request, "Oh, of course, let me just put this up and I'll be right down."

When C.C. arrived downstairs Mrs. Brightmore had tea set up at the breakfast nook. She sat next to the woman and picked up her cup, careful to blow on the steaming water.

Annette Brightmore was very curious indeed about this beautiful woman sitting next to her. She wasn't sure how she wanted to approach the subject, and being the blunt woman she was she just went for it, "So, C.C., do you have any intentions with my son? That is… do you see each other...romantically?"

C.C. almost spit out her tea, "Oh, I'm sorry.."

Annette waved away C.C.'s shyness, "No need to be shy, girlie, I was just curious. You see, I know how my son responds to women he likes, but I've never seen him truly in love… until today I suppose."

C.C. was at a loss for words and felt that all she could do was sit, dumbfounded.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to, I was just hoping maybe something was there, that maybe…" The woman cast her eyes down, obviously disappointed in C.C.'s reaction. Maybe she was wrong, maybe she was only seeing what she wanted to see: her son happy and settled down with a woman that was willing to give him what he always wanted.. a family. "Nevermind, forget I mentioned it." Annette said quietly, patting C.C.'s hand and giving her a gentle smile.

Niles walked down the hallway and started for the kitchen when he spotted his mother and C.C. drinking tea together at the nook. He stopped at the doorway leading into the room to listen to what they were talking about.

The women had their tea in almost complete silence for a minute until C.C. decided to put the woman's mind at ease, "You know, Mrs. Brightmore, at one point I thought maybe there was something there.. but I suppose I was wrong, I think Niles likes teasing and pranking me more than anything. And that's okay, it's a game that we both like to play."

His mother smiled and somehow understood what C.C. was trying to say. Sometimes love wasn't right or wrong, sometimes the line between love, hate, and friendship was just impossible to find.

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><p>That evening, the Sheffield's went to bed almost immediately after dinner. The jet-lag had taken its toll, and they would have to get up very early the next morning to catch their cruise.<p>

Annette had made a roast with carrots and mashed potatoes. She cleaned the dishes in the kitchen, humming a song as she went. C.C. paused for a minute as she walked to the parlor to listen to the lovely tune. It was a Christmas tune, that she knew, but she couldn't pin down the song. She was so intent on listening that she didn't even notice Niles come up behind her and poke her sides in with his fingers. C.C. jumped two feet in the air and let out a little scream. The singing in the kitchen immediately stopped.

"Niles, you leave that poor girl alone and take her in the parlor to look at the tree lights!"

C.C. slapped him hard on the shoulder, "Yeah!"

Niles rolled his eyes, "Now look what you did, you got me in trouble, Babcock!"

"What are you, ten?"

Niles grabbed her hand and led her into the parlor. C.C. couldn't even think, her heart was too busy pounding out of her chest at the contact between their hands.

When they walked into the parlor, she felt like there was no other place she would rather be. The fire in the wood-burning hearth made the room glow in a warm light. She sat down onto the soft, plushy couch and stared forward at the lights gleaming from the Christmas tree in front of the big window that looked out over the fields in front of the Brightmore estate.

"You know, normally I hate Christmas." C.C. said casually.

"Normally I hate Christmas, too." He responded back, looking at her face that held a slight glow.

"We always end up celebrating together, don't we?" She said, looking at him in the eyes. They were clear, and glittery, and shiny with a hope that she hadn't ever seen there before.

"That's because we're both always alone." And just like that Niles realized he might have killed the moment that had started that was so hard to come by with this icy woman.

"I don't think you can be alone if you're alone with someone else, unless you just hate that person… I guess maybe you might." C.C. said, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Niles quickly responded, "I don't hate you." He looked down into his hands ashamed. How could she possibly think he might possibly hate her?

C.C. stared at the lights, pretending to not care. Niles family was something to be envied, especially with her family's history of internal affairs. "_Ha. Affairs, isn't that the truth._" C.C. thought to herself. Her mother and father had never been loyal in their marriage to each other, which resulted in their divorce shortly after she was born.

Niles kept staring at her hands trying to think of what to say. He looked over to her and she had a gleamy, almost sentimental look in her eyes as she stared at the brightly decorated tree. Before he knew what he was doing he grabbed her hand.

She seemed surprised by his move, but didn't seem to mind. And so, the couple that time had unfortunately forgotten sat in comfortable silence, each admiring the feel of the other's hand in theirs.

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><p><strong>Its a fluffy end to the first chapter, but problems will arise in the second for the main part of the plot! RR and stay tuned!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**I figured since most of you already read the first part of my story I would give you chapter 2 (though the end of chapter 1 is different from the one shot so read it if you haven't read it on FF yet)**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Annette Brightmore had always had a knack for spying. It was a trait that came with being virtually invisible to those she had served in the Sheffield household. She tip-toed through the dark hallway that lead to the parlor and watched silently as her son held the hand of the most unlikely candidate for his heart. She felt her stomach swoop, and pushed back the urge to hoop and holler. Maybe things would work out for the two after all.

After what seemed like an hour of watching the tree lights, C.C. realized the late hour. "I really need to get some sleep, I have an early morning ahead." She looked down at their entwined hands resting on the space between them on the couch. She hated to be the one to break the spell- who knew how long it would be before another one of these less than often moments occurred.

"Yes, we want you to be on your best manners for the boat crew tomorrow." He tossed jokingly.

C.C. rolled her eyes and took the opportunity to break hand contact and smack him lightly on the chest. Placing a hand on his thigh for support getting up she slowly rose to her feet. Niles was having difficulty processing any thought other than the fact that her hand had innocently been on the sensitive skin of his leg.

"Goodnight, Niles."

Niles finally snapped out of his lapse, "Uh, yes, good night Miss. Babcock."

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><p>The house held a silence that almost buzzed. The travelers from New York had long since heard such noise, or lack there of. Niles stayed awake in the darkness of his childhood room. He couldn't get Miss. Babcock's fire glown face out of his mind. He reached for the clock on his nightstand and turned it toward him to see the time.<p>

2:23. Damn it all.

Just as his mind returned back to entertaining thoughts of a certain blonde he heard loud, slow footsteps down the hallway of the second floor. He expected them to continue down the stairs, but instead they grew louder until the door to his room was thrown open by a tall figure.

Niles turned his body to switch on the bedside lamp. His father looked absolutely distraught.

"Niles, son, come quick- we need to take your mother to the hospital. She is having chest pain.."

Niles jumped out of bed quickly throwing on the closest clothes he could find, not bothering to care that his father saw him naked as a jaybird.

Both the Brightmore men hurried down the hallway towards the master bedroom.

"Wait, dad, I need to tell the others so they aren't worried when they wake up and find us gone.."

"Go, son." His father shooed him down the hallway as he helped his weak wife down the stairs.

Niles entered Maxwell's bedroom and flicked on the light without much thought, "Max, wake up. Max!"

Maxwell groaned out before rolling over and sitting up, looking very perturbed. "What the bloody hell is it?"

Niles explained the situation and allowed his boss to go back to sleep. The family would get a taxi to the train if the Brightmore's weren't back in time.

Before they could leave, Niles had one more stop to make. Cracking the door to the room at the end of the hall, he padded his way over to sit on the side of the bed lightly. He had awakened this sensitive creature before and knew it was no easy feat.

"Babcock.."

C.C. turned her head over on her pillow, "Niles," She said dreamily.

His left eyebrow rose at the implication, "Babcock, wake, its urgent."

C.C. started up quickly, realized that the firm hand rubbing her back was no dream, "Niles?"

"I am going to the hospital, Mum is ill.. we think it is a heart attack."

C.C. threw her legs over the side of the bed, "Let's go."

Niles shook his head, "No, I didn't come to fetch you, just to let you know we might not be here when you leave in the morning.."

"Well, then I'm not going on the damned cruise."

"C.C., be reasonable. You don't want to miss out on your Christmas vacation because you were kept at the hospital all night and morning."

Failing to notice his use of her first name, she switched on the light and grabbed her dark rimmed glasses from on top of the contracts by her bed.

Niles hadn't realized until she turned on the lamp, but she was wearing a less than conservative forest green, satin nightgown. For the second time his brain turned to mush.

He could see her lips moving but he couldn't understand anything.

"Niles?"

He shook his head clear of the cobwebs, "I'm sorry, what?"

C.C. looked at him incredulously, "Niles, I need to change, I'll meet you at the car."

Niles quickly turned around to exit, but not before he caught one last glimpse behind him as she started to pull the nightgown straps down over her shoulders.

Downstairs at the car, Niles father was just getting Annette buckled in. "C.C. is coming with us."

Niles father paused to look at his son, "What? I thought she was leaving with the Sheffields in the morning.."

"She is, I'll make sure she returns in time."

C.C. came to the car a minute later wearing a loose, longsleeve t-shirt and black cotton pants. She had brought them incase the cabin on the ship got too cold for her normal satin attire.

Niles father shifted the car into gear as C.C. slid into the back seat by Niles, and sped off once the door was shut.

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><p>At the hospital, Niles was busy signing paper and filling out insurance claims. He finally found the waiting room that his father and C.C. were in. The doctor had just approached them as he walked up. C.C. grabbed his arm worriedly as they listened to the first update on his mother.<p>

"We have Mrs. Brightmore stabilized, the staff is running an EKG. We will get her in to have an echocardiogram to check the bloodflow to her heart as soon as possible. It's good that you got her here as soon as you could, we'll have the results for you as they come."

Niles and his father nodded toward the doctor as he turned to leave.

C.C. worriedly looked up at Niles, "She'll be okay, she seems like a very strong woman. If she's half as stubborn as you, butler boy.."

He cracked a small smile toward her and motioned for them to sit down. It was now three-thirty in the morning and Niles suggested that she get some sleep. She wrapped her arms around his left and cushioned her head on his shoulder. For the third time that same night Niles emotions raged. He wasn't used to her being this sweet and it was starting to unsettle him.

Would she break his heart after they returned to their normal settings in New York? After the mistletoe and twinkling lights were gone?

C.C. awoke an hour later to a crying child in the row of seats over. Her face had been buried in the crook of Niles' neck for warmth. His head rested lightly over her own, his breathing was deep and steady. Her arms still clung around him and his hand rested on her leg just above her knee closest to him. The couple must've looked, to any bystander, like a married couple. This shot into the core of her nerves and tempted her to pull away from him, from all of it.

Would he break her heart if she allowed her feelings for him to fester like she was now? Was it all real or some ghost reflection of the sappy Brightmore holiday cheer?

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><p><strong>Please read and leave reviews! They would truly make my day and inspire me to continue!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**I appreciate all the reviews for this story so far! It's really encouraging! Special shout outs to rx9872, ladybrin, slm38, turquoiserose16, vee22, allthesnakes, izaadr, and especially EspoirDio for inspiring us all to write stories for Christmas! You all rock!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Mrs. Brightmore was told she could return home at 6am with a report of angina, and directions to stay in bed for the next week. It seemed that Niles' vacation would be spent taking care of his mother and cooking for the family. He was glad to be home when they needed him most.

While they waited for the paperwork to release his mother, Niles worried that C.C. would miss the train to her cruise, "Miss. Babcock, we need to leave NOW if you are going to make it home in time to leave with the Sheffields!"

C.C. was finally fed up, "Niles, your mother is sick, its Christmas, I don't want to.."

She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

"To what?" He questioned.

She looked down at her hands as they fidgeted, "I would rather spend the holiday on land, I've never exactly enjoyed cruise ships. I have tons of paperwork to catch up on anyway. And ya know, we can be bitter together as usual. If you think your family would rather be alone with you for-"

Niles eyes softened, "I would love for you to spend Christmas with us, I just don't want you to feel obligated to stay under these circumstances."

C.C. shook her head.

The Sheffields were informed that C.C. would be staying in England, and at 7am they departed via taxi to the train station.

The Brightmores and C.C. arrived back home around 9am. Niles helped his mother back into bed, grabbed his robe to keep warm in the somewhat drafty house, and walked back downstairs to brew coffee.

The light streamed through the kitchen window and stabbed at his eyes. He groaned, running his hands through his hair and over his sleepy eyelids.

He grabbed two mugs from the cabinet next to the stove and spooned in two cubes of sugar and cream in one mug for himself and poured a jet-black mug for C.C.

He carried both into the den and found her curled up on the couch, staring out at the foggy meadow. She graciously took the cup and sipped, careful not to burn her tongue.

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><p>Later on that afternoon, C.C. was having difficulties processing the new changes that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. They hadn't spoken a word about any of it, and she wasn't about to encroach on the subject to him herself. The holiday at the Brightmores' had fogged her mind- too many twinkling lights and angels, too much happiness and love. She realized it was all starting to go to her head. Was that such a bad thing? Was this what she had missed out on since she was a child? C.C. knew that she needed to make a decision, but she wasn't even sure what the options were. "<em>You are a Babcock, we don't fraternize with the help!" <em>She could hear her mother's voice in her head over and over, and she couldn't stop it. She put her head in her hands as she sunk deeper into the worn couch in the parlor.

Niles cracked the door of his mother's room open and peeked his head around to see if she was awake. When he saw her head poke up from around the covers he walked fully into the room.

"Hello, son."

Niles gave a slight smile, "Hello mum. How are you feeling? Do you need anything to drink or eat? I could fix soup or a sandwich if you'd like- dad just went and picked up some roast beef for me t-"

"Niles, I'm fine. Stop fussing. Is it true that C.C. is still here?"

He felt his ears heat up, "Yes, mum, she is still here. She decided she'd rather stay on dry land than be at sea for Christmas."

"You mean she decided she'd rather be with you than the Sheffield family for Christmas?" She suggested mischievously.

"Mum, it's not like that, she and I are sworn enemies. We might have our moments of friendship- I think she was truly worried about your health- but that's it. She could never fully grasp having feelings for me.."

Annette turned her head, "Oh? You don't think her staying for Christmas is an indication of her feelings for you?"

"C.C. Babcock can be caring, but she is mostly a tough bi-"

Niles father knocked on the door and peeped his head in, "Everything alright?"

"Yes yes, love, we were just having a chat, go smoke your pipe- its almost five o'clock!" The older man nodded his head and slipped out quietly, leaving the door ajar.

Annette turned back to her son, "Aside from how you think she feels, what do you feel for her?"

He rubbed the back of his neck trying to itch away the nervousness the conversation and created, "I don't know- Sometimes I can't imagine not seeing her every day, not feeling her even if it is just to take her coat from her arms, and other times she angers me so I could just throttle her."

"You know, they say there is a fine line between love and hate.."

Niles shook his head, "Mum, things aren't always black and white. She's in love with Maxwell- the rich heir." He spit out sarcastically, "It might seem like she is drawing toward me but she doesn't want me. We are from _completely _different worlds!"

"And what better time than Christmas to realize that maybe it doesn't matter? If you care for her don't let the opportunity you have here slip out of your hands. I want grandchildren from you!" Addie crouched up and before Niles could react she was slapping the back of his head.

"Ow! What was that for?" He grumbled.

"Go on, get out! You know what you need to do!"

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><p>Niles thought about it for the next day. He realized that taking the risk was more than worth it. Christmas eve had finally come and he would be in the kitchen all morning preparing a feast for his entire family. His brother, Thomas, and his wife and two children would be there. His younger sister, Daphne, would be there as well, and hopefully she wouldn't bring her dreaded boyfriend Angelo with her.<p>

C.C. entered the kitchen around 8:30, mumbling about coffee. He handed her a mug and asked about her sleep. She grabbed the morning news off the table, gave him a grumpy "Hmph." and trudged off to the parlor to wake up.

She brought her empty mug into the kitchen, feeling a little bit of a kick from the caffeine. Niles had his back turned toward her as he seemed to be checking the temperature of a large bird with a thermometer. When he turned around she realized just how…nice... he looked.

He still had his plaid pajama bottoms on with a blue cotton robe draped down his back. His hair stuck endearingly up in ten different directions and his face had grown stubble.

"My, my Butler Boy. Aren't we looking a little scrappy this morning."

He continued working his way through the kitchen, "Yes I haven't exactly been GQ man of the year the last few days. I hardly ever get the opportunity to not be cleanly shaven. I'll clean up before the family gets here later."

"_Or not." _C.C. thought as she tilted her head as he bent down to check in the stove again.

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><p>At around noon the house was in full swing. C.C. walked down the stairs dressed in a red sweater and jeans to Niles delighted surprise. A clatter of knocks on the front door alerted him to his siblings arrival. He rushed to the door and saw the rosy faces of Thomas and Georgia and their two girls Sophia and Laney. C.C. peeked around the corner as the Brightmores exchanged hugs. The two young girls who couldn't be more than ten bear hugged Niles until he grabbed them both and pulled them in for kisses. Their laughter filled the house up to the ceiling and Niles' mom and dad joined the group from upstairs.<p>

As everyone started taking coats off and handing presents to be carried into the den Thomas noticed C.C. standing quietly at the door of the kitchen, "Who might this be? Niles, did you finally bring a lass home?"

Thomas saw the blonde woman blush in embarrassment and reached out to shake her hand, "My name is Thomas, Niles' brother."

"C.C. Babcock, I work at the Sheffields as well- as Maxwell's business partner."

Thomas' countenance brightened, "Ah! C.C. Babcock! We've heard a lot about you! But Niles, she is much prettier than you've described- I don't see a pointed nose or broom anywhere near this lady!"

Niles looked over trying to stop where the conversation was headed, "Yes I'd like to introduce you all to C.C. Babcock, she's a friend. She works for Maxwell as his business partner on Broadway."

C.C. nodded a hello toward the other three and felt slightly out of place. The awkward silence was broken by a crashing sound at the door.

"DAMMIT! Jesus, what do I have to do.." All heads turned as a skinny blonde woman entered through the house with more than an armful of presents. "What do I need to do to get you to bloody help me, Angelo!"

The group groaned as a whole at the mention of this Angelo character and C.C. crooned her head to get a look at the man.

While Niles' sister seemed quirky and somewhat bohemian with her flowing skirt and pierced nose, the man was twenty times as bizarre looking. He had braids coming out from behind his multiply pierced ears. His face had clearly not been shaved in weeks and his clothes unwashed in a while. C.C. noticed a long, reptile looking tattoo that wrapped around his arm and wrist.

"Hel Loo!" Daphne cried to the family, not understanding her brash arrival.

The family gathered around her giving hugs and kisses, being careful to avoid Angelo. Niles once again introduced C.C. and the family walked into the living room to sit.

Angelo followed unaware of the family's clear dislike for him, "Where is the brandy? And not the cheap stuff!"

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><p>Christmas eve dinner at the Brightmores' was chaotic but jovial. The siblings constantly picked at one another, but C.C. could tell there was a great amount of love between the three. Daphne clearly held a lot of respect for Niles.<p>

C.C. answered a plethora of questions from each family member who had arrived that day. She got the feeling that they wanted to believe that maybe she was more than a friend of Niles. Each comment sent her stomach into more of a swirl.

Niles sister was especially interested in finding out all she could about C.C. Babcock. She didn't seem to mind diving right into the personal questions that normally would've sent C.C. into a deep rage. This girl was pleasant and seemed so pure and innocent. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at anything that the girl said.

C.C. caught Niles looking at her from across the table as she talked to his sister. The gleam in his eye made her breath catch in her chest. He raised his glass of wine to her, but before she could blink twice he had focused his attention back to the conversation with his brother.

**Please leave a review/comment- they really make my day and motivate me to write better and better for all of you!**


	4. Chapter 4

** Just a few more chapters to go! Enjoy (and have a happy New Years Eve everyone!)**

**Chapter 4**

The family retired to their respected homes for the rest of the night leaving Niles to clean up a heap of a mess from dinner. It wasn't until 11pm that he finally finished drying the last dish.

Tomorrow would be another busy day with the family. Thomas and Georgia would bring the girls over around 9 to have brunch and do presents with their grandparents. Niles took sausage out of the freezer and put it in the fridge for morning.

His parents had gone to bed as soon as the family left and he assumed C.C. was in the guest room reading.

He walked into the living room with a steaming cup of tea and realized he wasn't alone. C.C. looked up from her thoughts to see him.

"Would you like some tea, Miss. Babcock?"

She shook her head that it wouldn't be necessary, groaning about a full stomach from dinner.

He sat next to her on the couch and admired the tree and Christmas décor on the mantle, "Mum really did a lovely job with the house this year." He took a swig of tea and set it down on the coffee table, "My she gave me a fright with her heart- it's wonderful she's doing so well", he mentioned casually.

"Yes, she doesn't seem to be too phased," C.C. said looking at the man sitting next to her.

Niles felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end at the tension in the quiet room, "Miss. Babcock.. C.C… I'm glad that you stayed for Christmas- would you like your gift?"

C.C. looked surprised, "You got me a gift? Niles, I'm sorry but I didn't get you-"

"That's okay, here. It's just something I found that I thought you would enjoy." He handed her the wrapped box.

C.C. looked down at the silver paper with a pretty red ribbon tied thoughtfully around it. She opened it and lifted the lid of the box, pulling out a beautiful teal cashmere scarf, "Niles.."

"If you don't like it I can always take it back," He said hurriedly, worried about her reaction to his gift.

She just stared at the scarf looking almost sad.

C.C. fought her inner turmoil once again. Why had he gotten her a gift? They hadn't started getting along until they arrived here at his parents' house. When she thought back to how she had treated him in New York her stomach lurched.

It was about a minute before she realized that she had put the scarf back down the box and gotten up from the couch to leave out the front door.

Niles didn't know what to do. Women, especially this woman in particular, were very odd. Did she want him to stay? To follow her? To take her to the airport? He wondered what he would tell Maxwell in this situation if it were Miss. Fine and decided to follow her.

He grabbed his coat from the hook by the entry and opened and shut the front door quietly behind him and searched for her in the snow covered yard and meadow beyond. There she stood, looking over the pastures and hills.

He wrapped his coat tightly around him and saw his breath in the freezing night air. He trudged out into the yard toward her. When he was two yards away he saw her shivering. He took his coat off and draped it around her shoulders, worried about her emotional state.

"Miss. Babcock, I'm sorry if I somehow upset-"

She cut him off, "No Niles, its nothing you've done. It's everything I've done," She turned toward him and looked at his deep blue eyes, "I'm not a good person, Niles, why would you bother getting me a gift when you know I wouldn't think to get you one?"

He realized she wasn't trying to be rude; she was condemning herself for something.

"C.C., I don't… I know we haven't always gotten along. I know that you've never exactly been one to give me a gift. But I do know that you're not a bad person, you're far from it. I think somewhere along the way you got yourself confused between the person you need to be at work and the person you need to be towards the people that care about you."

She stared at him with rosy cheeks and saddened eyes, "Niles, I don't know how to be something good, something that a person like you could.."

Niles froze, waiting for her to finish.

She shook her head and started walking back toward the house.

Niles quickly followed after, "C.C., wait, this isn't finished!"

"Can we at least finish this absurd conversation inside?" She snapped.

Niles shoulders dropped. This woman ran hot and cold more than any person he had ever met. Every time he felt like he was starting to get past her walls she just found a way to put another up.

C.C. opened the door and walked down the hallway toward the den.

Before she could get all the way in Niles grabbed her and spun her around, "C.C., it's Christmas Eve, and the last thing I want to do is fight with you. I want to sit and look at the lights and be happy. And maybe even hold your hand again!" The aggravation in his voice grew louder and louder until she reached for his shirt and pulled him in for a quick kiss. She let his shirt go and stared at his face. He seemed dumbfounded.

She started to move away, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her in for another, deeper kiss. They stayed that way for a while before pulling away, out of breath.

"Wow." Niles replied, his breath heaving in his chest.

C.C. smiled quickly, walking into the den to grab the box with her new scarf, stopped to briefly giving him a kiss on the cheek and whispered a thank you before dashing upstairs to her room.

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